Ruslan Stefanchuk, speaker of Ukraine's parliament, met with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson in Italy on Sept. 5 to discuss lifting restrictions on long-range Western weapons strikes deep into Russian territory.
Washington still prohibits Ukraine from using long-range Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and other long-range U.S.-supplied weapons for strikes deeper inside Russia, U.S. officials have said.
Stefanchuk spoke to Johnson about the importance of removing all limitations on the use of American weapons, advocating for Ukraine to be allowed to use the provided arms without any conditions. He stressed that Ukraine should not have to defend itself with "hands tied" and called on Johnson to help ease these restrictions.
The lawmakers also discussed strengthening sanctions against Russia, Stefanchuk said.
Kyiv has long argued that restrictions on the use of long-range weapons are stifling its war effort, while Washington claimed that allowing Ukraine to hit deep into Russian territory with its weapons could escalate the situation.
White House officials have also claimed that 90% of Russian warplanes have already been moved beyond the reach of ATACMS, rendering increased permissions irrelevant to Ukraine's defense.
Ukraine has dismissed these arguments and has ramped up pressure to lift the ban in recent weeks amid the ongoing incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast. The White House has not budged on its position, despite some U.S. politicians backing Kyiv's demands.
Kateryna Denisova
